The South African National Defence Force follows the British Army system of awarding battle honours to military units, to recognize the battles and campaigns in which they have fought with distinction. The following is a list of battle honours with descriptions and listing the units for each battle honour:
Battle Honours of South Africa
South West Africa 1915
Name: South West Africa 1915
Southern Rifles
Southern Rifles
Cape Town Highlanders, The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own
Cape Garrison Artillery
Cape Field Artillery
South West Africa 1914–1915
South West Africa 1914–1915 for the South West Africa campaign
Description: Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment Western Province Mounted Rifles Umvoti Mounted Rifles Transvaal Scottish Regiment Transvaal Horse Artillery South African Heavy Artillery SA MR Field Artillery S.A. Police (1913–1994) S.A. Mounted Rifles South African Irish Regiment Royal Natal Carbineers Royal Durban Light Infantry Rand Rifles Rand Light Infantry Pretoria Regiment Potchefstroom Ruiters Noordelike Transvaal Berede Skutters Natal Mounted Rifles Natal Field Artillery Midlandse Skutters Midlandse Ruiters Kimberley Volunteer Regiment Kaffrarian Rifle Volunteers Imperial Light Horse Hartigan's Horse Griqualand West Ruiters Graaf-Reinet Ruiters First City Volunteers of Grahamstown Field Ambulance, 1st Cape Town Rifles Brand's O.V.S. Schutters Bechuanaland Rifles, 9th Dismounted Rifles Bechuanaland Rifles
Bechuanaland 1896–97
Name: Bechuanaland 1896–97
Description: Cape military and police operations against the Batswana ("Bechuana") from December 1896 to August 1897. Most of the fighting took place in the Langberg mountains. The battle honour was: Bechuanaland 1896–97 (or 1897) Burgher force units which took part were granted their own honours in 1938: Betsjoeanaland 1896 ? Langberg 1897. Kimberley Volunteer Regiment Cape Town Highlanders, The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own
South Africa 1899–1902
Name: South Africa 1899–1902
Description: From October 1899 until May 1902, British, Cape and Natal forces fought the neighbouring Boer republics, which eventually capitulated. Battle honours were authorised by the British government Umvoti Mounted Rifles Uitenhage Volunteer Rifles Transkei Mounted Rifles Royal Natal Carbineers Royal Durban Light Infantry Queenstown Rifle Volunteers Prince Alfred's Own Volunteer Guards Natal Royal Regiment Natal Mounted Rifles Kimberley Volunteer Regiment Kaffrarian Rifle Volunteers Imperial Light Horse First City Volunteers of Grahamstown Cape Town Rifles Cape Town Highlanders, The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own Border Mounted Rifles
Western Desert 1941–43
Name: Western Desert 1941–43
Description: Umvoti Mounted Rifles Transvaal Scottish Regiment S.A. Police (1913–1994) South African Irish Regiment Royal Natal Carbineers Royal Durban Light Infantry Regiment Vrystaat Regiment Groot Karoo Regiment Christiaan Beyers Rand Light Infantry Regiment President Steyn Natal Mounted Rifles Kaffrarian Rifle Volunteers Imperial Light Horse Cape Town Rifles Cape Town Highlanders, The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own
Gazala
Name: Gazala from the Battle of Gazala
Description: The Battle of Gazala (near the village of ) was fought during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, west of the port of Tobruk in Libya, from 26 May to 21 June 1942. Axis troops of the ( Erwin Rommel) consisting of German and Italian units fought the British Eighth Army (General Sir Claude Auchinleck, also Commander-in-Chief Middle East) composed mainly of British Commonwealth, Indian and Free French troops. Transvaal Scottish Regiment S.A. Police (1913–1994) Royal Natal Carbineers Royal Durban Light Infantry Regiment Vrystaat Regiment Groot Karoo Regiment Christiaan Beyers Rand Light Infantry Regiment President Steyn Natal Mounted Rifles Imperial Light Horse Cape Town Rifles Cape Town Highlanders, The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own
Alem Hamza
Name: Alem Hamza
Description: Transvaal Scottish Regiment Cape Town Highlanders, The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own
Best Post
Name: Best Post
Description: Natal Mounted Rifles Cape Town Highlanders, The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own